For two decades, three elderly siblings in Toa Payoh, Singapore, have been living inside a flat that was cluttered with all sort of items, leading to a deplorable state.
Thankfully, kind volunteers stepped in to help clear up some of the clutter and found trash, rats, and even cash stashed away.
Survived on RM20-25 daily
According to the eldest sibling, 78-year-old Ou Yayang, she spent many years collecting cardboard every single day just to make ends meet.
Despite her age, she would push a cart filled with cardboard late into the night, earning only S$6 to S$7 (approx. RM19 – RM23) daily.
“I have to do this every day, otherwise we can’t survive,” she told Shin Min Daily News.
She does this to care for her two siblings, who are 87 and 67 respectively. The eldest sibling suffers from heart problems, thus making him reliant on Ou to take him to the hospital.
Although I’m the younger sister, I feel like I have to be both the elder sister and mother.”
Rats, cockroaches, & cash
Shin Min reporters who visited Ou’s home described it as “almost impossible to stand in” as it was filled with piles of cardboard, trash, and a lingering odor.
The situation was so bad that at one point, rats were spotted running across the living room, with the siblings admitting they had even slept beside a dead rat before.
Although Ou admitted that her living condition was terrible, she said she was unable to resolve the problem on her own.
During the cleanup, volunteers were shocked to discover just how bad the infestation had become.
A total of six rats were cleared from the flat, with some hiding under the altar and one found dead nearby.
“There were rats in the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms. Two were about 20cm long, while the other four were smaller,” shared a volunteer named Chen.
Cockroaches infested the house as well, adding on to the years of misery.
On Monday (Sept 7), a team of 35 volunteers from local charity organisations showed up at the crack of dawn with cleaning tools, disinfectants, buckets, and even new furniture.
Despite the rainy weather and the flat’s narrow corridor, volunteers worked tirelessly to remove heaps of trash, repaint the walls, install lights, and fumigate the home.
At the end of the day, the flat had a fresh coat of paint, proper lighting, and clean laundry, giving the elderly siblings a new start after two decades of living in squalor.
In a shocking twist, volunteers also discovered stacks of cash hidden inside the flat, some still tucked into red packets.
Amounts ranged from S$2 to S$1,000 (approx. RM7 to RM3,200) but unfortunately, many notes had been gnawed by rats over the years.
One volunteer explained that as long as the serial numbers were intact, banks might still accept the notes, while the damaged ones were placed into a separate jar.
‘Feels like we can breathe again’
After the cleanup, philanthropists stepped forward to help including Dato Sri Tahir, the founder of Indonesia’s Mayapada Group, who pledged to donate S$500 (approx. RM1,642) monthly for two years.
Donors also provided new furniture worth S$5,000 (approx. RM16,400) and more public donations poured in after the story went viral.
Following the cleanup, Ou expressed hope over starting life anew in a clean environment.
“For years, I was too busy collecting cardboard to clean up the house. Now it feels like we can breathe again,” she said.
READ ALSO:
